J O U R N A L ARTICLES

The Holy Trinity of Strength Training

The back squat, press and power clean are huge parts of the CrossFit program.
Legendary lifter and strength coach Bill Starr explains why theyre so important for athletes.

Bill Starr

If youre looking to build brute strength, you need to avoid machines and biceps curls. Instead, focus your time
in the weight room on a small number of core exercises that hit the main muscle groups.
Its no surprise to find heavy, low-rep workouts in CrossFit. Theyve been the core of strength training for years.
Its called keeping it simpleand it works.

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Holy Trinity ... (continued)

Less Is More in Strength Training

In the late 60s, when the interest in strength training for
football was increasing exponentially, Tommy Suggs and
I began traveling to high schools and conventions to give
demonstrations and talk with the coaches. Our goal was
to teach them how to correctly do the various weight-
training lifts and put together a functional program with
minimum equipment. We also wanted to find out just
what they were doing.

The main reason the

Big Threeor any other
simplicity-based program
works well is that all the
energy of an athlete is
put into making the large
muscles and corresponding
attachments stronger.

What stood out in all their programs was that they were
doing far too many exercises in a workout. The prevailing
idea at that time was that every muscle group, big and
small, needed to be given attention in a weight-train-
ing session in order to get a stronger body. We took a
different route and came up with a simple but effective
plan that could be done in a short period of time with
minimum equipment.
We selected three exercises: bench press, back squat and
power clean. We called them the Big Three.
The Big Three would hit the three major muscle
groups: shoulder girdle (upper body), back, and hips
and legs. All the lifts would be done for five sets of
five. Research had shown the best set and rep formula
was four-to-six sets of four-to-six reps, so we chose the
median of five-by-five to make it easier for coaches
setting up programs for large numbers of athletes.
Together with the power clean, the bench press and
the back squat are your best bets for gaining a
large amount of strength very quickly.

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Holy Trinity ... (continued)

Tommy and I were both active in Olympic lifting, so
it might have seemed natural that we would use the
overhead press for our shoulder-girdle exercise. While
we believed the press was the best upper-body exercise
for athletes, it was getting a great deal of bad publicity
at that time. Several newspapers and magazines carried
articles by prominent sports medicine doctors who stated
that heavy pressing was harmful to the lower back. Plus,
word was out that the press was about to be eliminated
from official competition for that same reason. Although
neither of us believed the press to be harmful when done
correctly, we didnt want to deal with that battle. We were
already fighting one over full squats and their effect on
the knees. The flat bench became our shoulder-girdle
primary exercise.
The squat was a no-brainer. Its really the backbone of
the program.
The power clean is the perfect lift for any athlete wanting
to gain strength, and it has the added benefit of enhancing
athletic attributes such as foot speed, co-ordination,
timing and balance. The Big Three would be the basic
program for athletes at any level. As they got stronger
and the workload increased, other lifts would be added
to the routine. Finally, we inserted the heavy-, light- and
medium-day concept, which had been around since
the 30s.
During the following year, we promoted this program
wherever we went and wrote it up in the magazine we
edited, Strength & Health. At conventions, we demon-
strated the three lifts and passed out information on how
to put together a program for a large number of athletes.
Then we waited for the feedback, wondering what
the biggest problems might be. As it turned out, there
were none.
At the Kodak National Coaches Convention at the
Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., that January, we
didnt have to sell the program. The coaches sold it for us.
Strength Is About Moving IronPeriod
The main reason the Big Threeor any other simplicity-
based programworks well is that all the energy of an
athlete is put into making the large muscles and corre-
sponding attachments stronger. The main problem with

Dont even think about biceps curls on a machine. Build strength with an O-bar, some bumpers and a lot of determination.

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Holy Trinity ... (continued)
How much equipment do you really need?
Bill Starr says you just need a bar and some weight.
routines that consist of numerous exercises is only so
much energy is available. When its spread out over a
dozen or more movements, none receive much attention.
Therefore, we do not get stronger. Oh, maybe a bit
stronger, but not nearly enough to make significant gains
that would improve sports performance.
The reason why this basic program has survived for so
long is because it brings fast results. Of course, the 1976
publication of The Strongest Shall Survive, which is based
on the Big Three, has helped too.
Nevertheless, this program and others like it often get
abused by well-meaning coaches and athletes. More and
more exercises get slipped into a strength program, and
the primary movements do not get the bulk of attention.
Training time gets considerably longer. The results are
less notable. Or, in other instances, the basic exercises
are replaced with those that arent quite as demanding.
Hang cleans are substituted for full power cleans, for
instance, or free weights are replaced by machines in the
current mindset.
Although I like some machines, especially the calf and
adductor versions, most of the others do not have a place
in a serious strength program. The athlete doesnt have to
be concerned with balancing the weight when he or she
works on a machine. The act of balancing a bar or dumbbell
in motion forces the attachments, tendons and ligaments
to get involved in the movement, and the strength of any
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body part is determined by the attachments much more
so than the muscles. Therefore, machines need to be
relegated to auxiliary status in a strength routine. Primary
exercises need to be done with iron.
Speaking of auxiliary exercises, they should be ignored in
the early stages of training. All the effort needs to be put
into the three primary, or core, lifts. After two months of
building a solid strength base, extra work for the smaller
muscle groups can be added to the routinebut not
more than two exercises per session. More are often
added, usually for the chest and biceps, and the result is
an aspiring strength athlete who spends more time on
smaller groups than core groups.
Another problem with including too many ancillary
movements into a programand Im talking about a
beginning routine nowis it extends the time spent in
the weight room. This has a negative effect on recovery.
Recovery is a key factor for anyone attempting to gain
strength but is absolutely critical to someone just getting
started on this quest. Thats why I advise beginners to only
train three days a week. Those off days are necessary for
the body to recuperate from the new form of stress. Its
not just the muscular system that needs rest but also the
nervous system. Learning how to perform the various
exercises and perfecting them is a mental process, and
the day off is not a luxury but a necessity.
Although I like some
machines, especially the calf
and adductor versions, most
of the others do not have a
place in a serious strength
program... Primary exercises
need to be done with iron.
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Holy Trinity ... (continued)
Many overeager beginners start slipping in an extra
day of training in order to work their smaller groups.
This ends up being a mistake. Even though the
workload for that extra day is much less than that of
the other sessions, its still enough to be detrimental.
It uses up energy which should be held in reserve for
the more demanding workouts and prevents those
groups involved from getting the rest they must have.
Whats key is replacing the
power clean or bench press
with an exercise of equal
status and not one thats a
great deal easier.
In addition, when a beginner expands to training four
days a week rather than just three, he typically finds
himself in a quandary. Due to his hectic schedule, he has
trouble getting into the weight room four times a week.
This leads to missing a workout every so often, which
leads to less progress and discouragement. Its far better
to keep things simple and train diligently three days a
week and stay away from the weights on the other days.
This doesnt mean you cant do anything physical on the
non-lifting days. On the contrary, you should be active:
running, swimming, practicing the skills of your chosen
sport or participating in some other sport you enjoy.
Vary Your Loads to Maximize Gains
An explanation of the heavy, light and medium concept is
needed in order to utilize it properly. The heavy day is self-
explanatory. At that session, you handle more weight than
in the other two workouts that week, which means you
push to the limit on the three exercises in your routine.
The goal on the heavy day is to improve the top-end
numbers. What you do on the heavy day determines how
much weight you will handle on the other two days. The
light day always follows the heavy day, meaning the light
day usually falls on a Wednesday. The same three exercises
will be done in the beginning but less weight will be used.
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This serves two useful purposes. It allows you to pay closer
attention to your technique on the three exercises, and
because the workout is much less taxing, your muscles
and attachments will recover faster.
Some like to use percentages to figure out the numbers
for the light and medium days, which is fine if you
happen to have the time to do it. If youre dealing with
40-plus athletes, the math for a workout can be very time
consuming. Heres how I handle it: using the attempts
done on the heavy day as your guide, simply make what
you did on your third set your top weight for the light day
and what you did on your fourth set your top weight for
the medium day.
An example might help. Our athlete did the following sets
on the back squat on his heavy day: 135, 175, 195, 215,
and 225, all for five reps. The third set with 195 will be as
heavy as you will go on the squat on your light day, so
the sets would be: 135, 155, 175, 185, and 195, again for
fives. On your medium day, 215 will be your final set, and
the jumps might look like this: 135, 175, 195, 205, and 215
for fives.
Youll note that the last three sets are packed closer
together. What this does is increase the total workload just
a tad. However, it will work just as well should you choose
to use 70 percent for the light day and 80 or 85 percent for
the medium day. Youre trying to make the light day less
difficult than the heavy day by a good margin, and the
medium day just a bit less difficult. In the beginning, the
disparity need not be much, but one day must be lighter
and one medium. Otherwise, progress will not come
as quickly.
Also keep in mind what I said about using the light day
to perfect technique. When youre able to put your full
concentration on the various form points, especially in the
power clean and squat, you can improve your technique
rather quickly without having to worry about making
the attempt.
Adding Some Variety to The Big Three
After six weeks or two months, or when you are confident
of your form on the Big Three and have established a firm
base of strength, youre ready to make some changes to
your routineor not. Some prefer to stay with just those
three basic movements for much longer. However, most
like to build in variety, which can be achieved by changing
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Holy Trinity ... (continued)
Deadlifts can always be worked into a strength program. Triceps kickbacks, on the other hand, should remain absent.
the exercises. The exception is the back squat. Its key to
establishing a sound strength base in the all-important
hips and legs. I think its best to stick with that primary
strength builder for six months or more. Then, if you want,
you can learn how to do front squats and perhaps lunges,
which are excellent substitute for back squats.
At this stage, you do not want to add in other primary
exercises. Rather, substitute exercises for the bench press
and power clean. For instance, power cleans on your
heavy day, good mornings on your light day, and high
pulls or shrugs on the medium day.
You might be thinking, Wouldnt I be using a lot more
weight on the shrugs than the power cleans? Shouldnt
the shrugs be my heavy day? No, and the reason is that
power cleans are more taxing than shrugs, even though
more weight is used on the latter lift. Power snatches
could replace power cleans every other week as well.
For the shoulder girdle, begin substituting incline benches
and overhead presses for flat benches during the week.
Your routine might look like this: flat bench presses on
Monday, overhead presses on Wednesday and incline
bench presses on Friday.
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Whats key is replacing the power clean or bench press
with an exercise of equal status and not one thats a great
deal easier.
When this transition takes place, the question comes up
of how to calculate the numbers for the light and medium
days. You will no longer be concerned about percent-
ages. The heavy, light and medium concept is now deter-
mined by exercise selection. The most weight that can
be handled on a shoulder girdle movement is the flat
bench. That belongs on the heavy day. The least amount
of weight used is the overhead press, which relegates it
to the light day. Inclines are somewhere in between the
flat bench and overhead press, so they fit right into the
medium day nicely.
Other exercises can be worked in as you progress, and it
doesnt take a Rhodes Scholar to figure out where to place
them in the weekly routine. Deadlifts: definitely the heavy
day. Bent-over row Id put on Friday. Weighted dips could
be done on either Wednesday or Friday, depending what
other upper-body exercises you want to do that week. If
its flat benches and inclines, dip on Wednesday. It its the
flat bench and overhead presses, dips belong on Friday.
Keep in mind that you dont need the absolutely perfect
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Holy Trinity ... (continued)
sequence in terms of heavy, light and medium. If you stay
with three primary exercises and work them as hard as
you can, youre going to get stronger.
You can use this same method to bring in other auxiliary
exercises. However, you do not want to exceed two per
session. One for the heavy day is a smart idea. Auxiliary
movements should be done for higher reps and only for
a few sets. For everything except calf raises, two sets of
20 are plenty. For the calves, three sets of 30 is the ticket.
Youll also benefit by working expeditiously, not fast. But
dont lollygag either. You need to get in the weight room,
get your work done and get out. The heavy days should
be completed in an hour and 15 minutes tops, the light
day in 45, and the medium workout in an hour. Its very
doable when your program comprises just three core
exercises and a couple of auxiliary movements.
Strength Training Is Not Rocket Science
Finally, its my observation that those in charge of putting
together strength programs in high school, colleges
and professional sports have reverted back to the same
mistakes their predecessors made in the 60s. There are
far too many exercises in nearly every program Im asked
to examine. Plus, there are a number of other physical
activities attached to the weight workouts: jumping
up on boxes, drills on grids for foot speed, pulling
ropes, dragging sleds, a circuit with kettlebells, and, of
course, some type of plyometrics. Whats a workout
without plyometrics?
Sounds great on paper, but in reality it doesnt work.
In truth, the athletes who are using this multi-layered
concept arent getting that much stronger. They might
get a little stronger, but not nearly as much as if they had
applied all their energy to moving iron. Those various
gimmicks are tiring. Thats the rub. They use up energy
that should be applied to primary weight movements.
The lack of strength is displaying itself in the large number
of injuries in football, especially from the pro ranks on
down to the high schools. The pros set the pace in this
regard, and theyre the most guilty of utilizing gimmicks
in place of hard work in the weight room. The reason is
simple: strength coaches are afraid that if one of their
players gets hurt lifting weights, it may cost them their
jobs. Theyre making a hefty salary, so they dare not take
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the risk, choosing instead to occupy their athletes with
drills and games while keeping weight sessions on the
moderate side.
What they seem to have forgotten is that the very best
way to ensure the safety of an athlete in any sport is to
make him or her as strong as possible. The athlete can take
the hits on the playing field with no ill effects. If a strength
coach really wants to do something to improve attributes
such as foot speed, quickness, timing, co-ordination and
balance, he should teach athletes how to snatch and
clean and jerk. Mastering those three high-skill lifts will
enhance every athletic quality with the added bonus of
creating even greater overall functional strength.
Three is the operative number when designing a
beginning strength program: three basic exercises for the
three major muscle groups done three times a week. This
program is equally useful to those starting back into a
strength routine after a layoff, as well as those wanting to
maintain a high level of strength fitness at any age.
Simplicity is the key to success in strength trainingso
keep it simple.
F
About The Author
Bill Starr coached at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, the
1970 World Olympic Weightlifting World Championship
in Columbus, Ohio, and the 1975 World Powerlifting
Championships in Birmingham, England. He was selected
as head coach of the 1969 team that competed in the
Tournament of Americas in Mayague, Puerto Rico, where
the United States won the team title, making him the first
active lifter to be head coach of an international Olympic
weightlifting team. Starr is the author of the books The
Strongest Shall Survive: Strength Training for Football
and Defying Gravity, which can be found at The Aasgaard
Company Bookstore.
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